homeschoolers are on a treadmill running to activities, co-ops and classes. Keeping the focus on the development and growth of our children is increasingly important today in a homeschooling environment that offers so many possibilities and distractions.

The Priceless Learning in Everyday Life

Why the simple things we do instinctively as children, and that we often must re-learn as adults, are not only the foundation for lifelong learning, but also are in danger of being eradicated. How we can shift our paradigm of education as competitive consumerism to one of education as self-development.

Working With Your Child's Strengths

A look at how and why children learn in a wide variety of ways and how homeschooling can be adapted to fit your children, instead of fitting your children to your homeschooling.

Alternatives to School and the Future of Alternative Schooling

A look at A.S. Neill, the founder of Summerhill School, and John Holt, a founder of the homeschooling movement. This talk focuses on their complementary and divergent thoughts about education.

Schools are from Mars, Homeschoolers are from Earth

It's not just men and women who can talk past each other. Schools and homeschoolers often do too! All too often schools and homeschoolers aren’t talking about the same thing when we talk about children and learning. This seminar will explore how schools and homeschoolers can communicate better.

"Sit down. Shut up. Do as I say." And Other Concepts of Education

An overview about your many options for teaching and learning with your children besides conventional schooling. What your rights and responsibilities are as a homeschooler.

Teach Your Own: 31 Years Later.

John Holt founded Growing Without Schooling magazine in August, 1977. In 1981, using material from GWS, Holt wrote his only book about homeschooling, Teach Your Own. When I updated this book I learned many things about not only how prescient Holt was in predicting the course of standardization in education, but also how he saw homeschooling growing. We'll look not only at predictions and outcomes, but also discuss issues that weren't even on the horizon for homeschoolers when Holt began promoting homeschooling, or as he termed it, unschooling, 31 years ago.

John Holt: A Life Worth Living.

A biographical presentation about Holt’s life, his 10 books, and how he went from school reformer to unschooler. This can include showing a video documentary I created about John Holt.

WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS

These are typically 90 minutes long with audience participation.

Learning Without a Curriculum.

John Holt invented the word "unschooling" as a substitute for the word "homeschooling," since what Holt was describing didn't have to take place at home and didn't look like school. Based on his studies of children as a social critic and educator, Holt concluded that children are born with a natural ability to learn that often gets crushed, even in the best private schools, during one's compulsory school years. This seminar examines unschooling as an educational practice rooted in history, and explores how it works for all types of families.

Homeschooling: Demographics, Size, and Growth.

Describes the history and major themes and issues of homeschooling.

Allowing Children To Do Real Work.

Ideas and stories about helping children learn by involving them in real work with adults,

TEACH YOUR OWN: AN UNSCHOOLING SEMINAR

Seminars about unschoolilng the elementary and high school years, including getting into college or finding work, are covered. Click here for more details.

The Stage and Parlor Magic Club

A two hour workshop for ages ten to adult (I say ten because younger kids may have difficulty with the fine-motor skill moves and reading needed to perform some tricks, but I'm willing to make exceptions) where we will learn the basics of sleight-of-hand, misdirection, and performing magic for small and large audiences. Magic has been a hobby of mine since I was a kid, and through homeschooling I've been able to share my interest in magic with children and adults by running a Stage and Parlor Magic Club. Depending on the size of the group, we can also build some effects and props that can be taken home. This workshop requires some arts and crafts materials to be purchased prior to the event. We will discuss the details in advance.

Unconventional ideas for teaching and learning.

Speaking Information

Speaking Topics

Upcoming Engagements

SPEAKING TOPICS

KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS

Typically an hour long, followed with half-hour of Q&A. Talk to Pat Farenga about special topics you want him to address for your event.

Living Better Through Home-Based Learning

Homeschooling offers families the unique opportunity to share their lives together in ways that are not possible when children are tied to a school desk for most of their young lives—or when